Woman gives birth to children, discovers her twin is actually the biological mother

Medical mystery: Woman gives birth to children, discovers her twin is actually the biological mother

For one woman, pregnancy was not enough to prove motherhood.

After taking a DNA test, Lydia Fairchild of Washington State was shocked to find that she was not the mother of her own children — the same children that she remembered conceiving, carrying and giving birth to. What had gone wrong?

...Fairchild was required to undergo DNA testing to prove that she was the mother of children for whom she was claiming. When the test results came back, her world was shattered by an incredible revelation – she was not the mother of her two children.

Now facing criminal charges for fraud, Fairchild was ordered to have a court representative be present at the birth of her third child for an immediate DNA test, which revealed the same results.

The article then explains:

Further DNA analysis showed that Fairchild was more like an aunt to her children than a mother, but Fairchild didn’t have a sister. Then, the discovery of a similar case in Boston brought to light another possibility.

Thanks to a rare genetic condition, it turned out that Fairchild was a chimera — essentially a twin in her own body.

WOW.

Fascinating.

I wonder, did that mean her ovaries and eggs were her twin's?

I can't believe they made her take a DNA test and then pressed charges! This makes me want to go hide in a cave!

There are many forms of chimerism too. I was reading about its relation to auto immune diseases. Most women have not just their DNA but, also their mothers and possibly children's DNA in them as well.

First off, I had no idea that some states required DNA testing for assistance. That is crazy by itself.

But wow, to find that out? That would be devastating.

I would think that that could be problematic as well, if any health issues came up with the children, like not being a match for kidney donation or something from the mom too, wouldn't it.

Crazy story.

This is like a bad plot to an Alien Invasion movie.

Damn!

Until I read the last sentence, I was feeling that either this was a very mean prank or that I was too stupid to understand what was going on.

But wow! Crazy! I'm glad it all worked out for her in the end.

Nice thread.

Fascinating.

There's an episode of House and i think Greys Anatomy that has a Chimera patient.

Edit: I also think i may have seen a documentary about this too.

Interesting that this would pop up again in 2014.

Here's an ABC News video from 2006. She was also featured in a documentary I saw some years back, I believe on the Discovery channel.

EDIT:

Looks like it may have been the British documentary, The Twin Inside Me which was also known as I Am My Own Twin.

a reply to: loam

I've heard of this case. There was a Dateline special on it a while back.

As an identical twin I find it fascinating!!

I can only imagine the trouble she went through when she was accused of not being their mother and fraud esp when she have birth to them.

Being a Chimera is a fun time in court and lots of DNA tests I found our this the hard way my self. My hair and skin DNA is different from my blood and tissue all from absorbing my twin before birth

originally posted by: chiefsmom
First off, I had no idea that some states required DNA testing for assistance. That is crazy by itself.

From the Wiki:

Lydia Fairchild is a British woman who exhibits chimerism, with two different sets of DNA present in her body. She was pregnant with her third child when she and the father of her children, Jamie Townsend, separated.

When Fairchild applied for welfare support in 2002, she was requested to provide DNA evidence that Townsend was the father of her children. While the results showed Townsend was certainly the father of the children, the DNA tests indicated that she was not their mother.

Child Support dispute?

Wiki Link

This story had more details. I got the impression this was a case where the judge wanted to do the right thing but was held to the law.

I am amazed all the privacy violations this woman put up with. Even giving birth in front of them wasn't good enough. Who is a saragate and keeps the child first money?! Some people are just mean spirited.

ETA:I wonder how many men get out of paying child support and don't even know its due to this.

originally posted by: theantediluvian
Interesting that this would pop up again in 2014.

Here's an ABC News video from 2006. She was also featured in a documentary I saw some years back, I believe on the Discovery channel.

EDIT:

Looks like it may have been the British documentary, The Twin Inside Me which was also known as I Am My Own Twin.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Good grief. You'd think a news outlet would make that clear.

originally posted by: chiefsmom
First off, I had no idea that some states required DNA testing for assistance. That is crazy by itself.

But wow, to find that out? That would be devastating.

I would think that that could be problematic as well, if any health issues came up with the children, like not being a match for kidney donation or something from the mom too, wouldn't it.

Crazy story.

as a matter of fact, the second case happened because a lady needed a liver or kidney transplant and they tested her husband and children and it came back the children she gave birth to were not hers... someone posted a link to the show I saw on tv about these two ladies

a reply to: loam

...I wonder, did that mean her ovaries and eggs were her twin's?

Yes, that's exactly what it means.

Cool stuff, isn't it?



PS. There are lots of different cases like this.... Turns out it not that rare (uncommon maybe, but not rare.)

I was always embarrassed that I'm my own grandpa. Now I don't feel too bad.

The poor woman who can't have her own children but must give birth to her invisible sister's children should be eligible for some kind of government assistance for taking care of children not-her-own. If she accuses a man of fathering one of her children and he says "Hey, it's not mine" she can say "Not mine either, buddy". In summary, The Case of the Faux Ma hurts nobody but the kids, who will probably be confused when they try to wrap their heads around this.

a reply to: soficrow

It means she has 2 sets of DNA

a reply to: Grey0

At least. It's called a chimera.